COLONEL GILPINsaid, be wished to ask the Secretary of State for India, If he will lay upon the table the Report of the Commissioners who were assembled in India to consider upon what terms Officers of the Indian Army for whom no active employment could he found should be permitted to retire; and also the decision of the Home Government in reference to the recommendation of such Commissioners. In case the right hon. Baronet should refuse the Return he asked 915 for, he would beg to inquire of him whether he ban state the number of promotions which will be made in consequence of the retirements sanctioned by the Home Government?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, he did not think it was desirable to lay on the table the Report alluded to by the hon. and gallant Gentleman. It was the Report of a Commission appointed by the Indian Government. The Indian Government disapproved the Report; and all the Home Government had done was to concur in disallowing the recommendations of the Commission. The Government of India thought that a smaller retirement was desirable, and a retirement of such a character had, in the mean time, been made out by the Home Government. Their scheme was for the retirement of Lieutenant Colonels, Majors, and Captains, to the number of 300 in all. Up to the date of the last accounts, 122 Lieutenant Colonels, 83 Majors, and 30 Captains had accepted the proposal, and the Government had reason to believe that the full number of 300 would avail themselves of the retirement. The hon. and gallant Gentleman had also asked him as to the number of promotions. One-half the vacant Lieutenant Colonelcies, and the whole of the vacancies in the rank of Major and in that of Captain would be filled by promotion. There had been 59 promotions to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, consequent on the 122 retirements; 83 to that of Majors—equal to number of retirements; and 30 to that of Captain, the same as the number of retirements. It would thus be seen that there had been 235 retirements and 172 promotions. The Government had reason to believe that there would be 65 more retirements of Captains; and, if so, there would be 65 promotions.
§ SIR CHARLES WOODAll promotions in the Indian army are by seniority.